Countless Dreams Converge into a Dawn That Pierces the Night

The moment Su Yun reached the ground floor, every gaze turned toward him.

The Sky Screen had shown more than words just now. There had been a picture in the upper-right corner, too.

With a face that handsome, everyone recognized him at first glance.

Su Yun set Columbina down and walked forward calmly.

Before long, Columbina caught up and leaped straight onto his back.

"Home, home! I still haven't finished the toast Sandrone made this morning."

Su Yun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This little girl really didn't understand a thing.

Sandrone hurried after them and first shot Columbina a glare. "Unit Seven made it. I only adjusted the recipe. Don't make it sound like I got up early just for you."

Then she looked at Su Yun, her voice softening despite herself. "...Su Yun, if you want some, I can bake another batch. Not especially for you. It's just... there's extra bread."

Perched on Su Yun's back, Columbina tilted her head. "Sandrone, you're blushing."

"Shut up, Columbina. I'll deal with you when we get home."

Caught between them, Su Yun suddenly felt that preparing for tomorrow's big reveal might not be so hard after all.

Back in the room, he greeted Sandrone, then carried Columbina off for a bath. Since coming to the Douluo Continent, it had been ages since Su Yun had enjoyed bathing together like this.

As for Sandrone...

Su Yun had always suspected Alan had casually fitted Sandrone with a few gears and called her a robot.

After all, a robot bathing herself...

Then again, there was no ruling out Teyvat's dragon technology.

The dragons had built even Celestial Weapons back in the day.

They had space elevators and starships, too.

It was hard to imagine that Mondstadt was still fighting wars with knights in later ages.

Su Yun hadn't helped Sandrone bathe. It wasn't that he didn't want to; she had refused him before, for a simple reason.

He remembered how she had reacted the last time he'd offered to help.

Standing at the bathroom door, the tips of her ears scarlet, she had spoken in a voice cold as ice. "Su Yun, I don't need help. I can do it myself."

That was when he understood: Sandrone's pride wouldn't let her show weakness over something like this.

Even though part of her really was mechanical, and even though she didn't actually mind him seeing her.

After that, Su Yun never pressed her again.

Su Yun carried Columbina into the bathroom. Hot water came rushing down, and she shook her head like a cat in his arms, spraying his face with droplets from her dark purple hair.

"Hold still." Su Yun steadied her by the shoulders.

Columbina looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "Su Yun, lots of people saw that picture of you on the Sky Screen today."

"Mm."

"They're all talking about you."

"Mm."

"Aren't you scared?"

Su Yun squeezed shampoo onto her hair and worked it into a lather. "Scared of what? Didn't I shout at you when I first got to Nod-Krai?"

Columbina closed her eyes in contentment and said no more.

Only the sound of water and the occasional popping bubble remained in the bathroom.

When they came out, Su Yun wrapped Columbina in a bath towel, set her on the bed, and began drying her hair.

Wrapped in the towel, she rolled over twice, then settled into a comfortable position on her stomach, leaving a length of bare calf exposed.

Su Yun looked away and picked up the hair dryer.

"Where's Sandrone?" Columbina asked.

"I'm here."

Sandrone leaned against the doorway, arms folded, watching coldly as Su Yun dried Columbina's hair.

Su Yun was well versed in reading cats, too. He knew this girl wanted him to dry her hair as well.

When he first arrived in Snezhnaya, he'd meant to look for Tartaglia, but somehow Sandrone had appeared at the gates of Grubov.

As soon as she heard he was staying at the Old Courtyard Restaurant, she made him move to Grubov.

Such a stubborn little tsundere.

He bundled Columbina up in the blanket and tied it shut. Otherwise, knowing her, she would definitely turn up in the bathroom to bathe with Sandrone.

Once she was securely bundled, he walked to the door and scooped up Sandrone, whose face had gone red as her thoughts ran ahead of her.

"Come on. I'll bathe with you."

Sandrone's hand trembled slightly as she caught hold of his arm.

"Who... who said I wanted to bathe with you?!"

Su Yun pretended not to notice and carried her straight into the bathroom, closing the door behind them.

Sandrone's skin didn't feel like a machine's.

It was soft.

Even after Su Yun finished taking off her clothes, he still couldn't find any switches or gears.

He kissed the little steam-powered tsundere cat on her flushed cheek.

He had to admit, she looked rather lovely when she blushed.

He picked up the showerhead and began rinsing her off.

As they bathed...

Sandrone suddenly froze.

Su Yun was speechless.

Sure enough, Columbina had appeared behind Sandrone.

"Sandrone... you didn't short-circuit! Does that mean we can bathe together from now on?"

"Co... lum... bina! You really are the worst!!!"

Up on the top floor, Ningguang heard the cry while going over her accounts and couldn't help laughing.

She took a drag from her cigarette and gazed at the moonlight.

"I wonder if tomorrow's rankings can grant my wishes."

One wish was to protect Liyue with mortal wisdom and strength.

The other embodied her ambition.

She wanted the Seven Nations to lie beneath the shadow of the Jade Chamber.

She had reached the Douluo Continent ahead of Pantalone, and her Merchants' Guild already had influence. Once tomorrow's rankings were announced, it would spread across the entire Douluo Continent!

Then there was what she had learned from Columbina.

There was a Moon Spirit named Ningning who understood dragon technology.

And Inazuma's Electro Archon.

As well as the Fatui Harbinger, The Marionette, downstairs.

She'd heard there was a Ningning in Natlan, too, and that she was formidable.

And then there was that woman...

"How dare you! That woman."

Ningguang almost thought she'd heard a voice. She hurriedly shook her head. She intended to try them all.

They had only just arrived on the Douluo Continent. They were bound to need funds and supplies.

Meanwhile, in his room, Su Yun casually set up a soundproof barrier.

As though afraid, the moon pulled a dark cloud over its pale face.

Even so, fine strands of moonlight slipped through the cloud and fell across the Teyvat Merchants' Guild's guest rooms.

Everyone at Teyvat Academy was looking forward to tomorrow's rankings.

Judging by the rewards the rankings offered, they were exactly what everyone needed most.

And Zhongli's wish was, of course... the woman who hid a starry sky in her sleeves... Guizhong.

Even with his extraordinary identity, he could not bring Guizhong back to life.

Perhaps this time there was hope.

After all, even he couldn't quite see through the Sky Screen.

And Barbatos stood on the roof, gently plucking his lyre.

"Old friend... should I stop letting myself hope?"

Rosaria, Jean, Xiangling...

Everyone had a wish. Everyone was waiting.

Waiting for tomorrow's rankings.

Even a few more Intertwined Fates would do.

Countless dreams converged into a dawn that pierced the night.

When sunlight poured down, everyone looked up at the Sky Screen with anticipation.

What wonders would the Douluo Continent's first true great power reveal...

Just how formidable was the strength no one had ever witnessed?

[TOP 1: Teyvat Academy!]